The Rays have updated their work lists for spring training and they include one surprise.

Pitcher James Houser, seemingly slated to go to Triple-A Durham this year, is now on the extended spring roster. For someone of Houser's experience, that would hint that he's injured, but he said he's not.

"I feel good," Houser said. "I feel good."

Houser has been limited by injuries the past two seasons with the Biscuits.

One other thing that stood out on the updated work lists: pitcher David Newmann. He missed all of last season after tearing a knee ligament late in spring training and has yet to make his professional debut. He's on the high-Class A Charlotte work list. The left-hander was a fourth-round draft pick from Texas A&M in 2007.

A new Tampa Bay minor-league spring roster doesn't include five names that were in camp Monday.

The five released today include four former Biscuits: pitchers Chuck Tiffany, Jon Barratt and Jeff Kamrath, and infielder Patrick Cottrell. Infielder Michael Ross is the fifth player no longer in camp.

Tiffany came to the Rays in a 2006 trade from the Dodgers and played in Montgomery in 2006. He made four starts before suffering a shoulder injury that shelved him until last year. The left-hander made 21 appearances last season at high-Class A Vero Beach.

Barratt and Kamrath were with the Biscuits last year. Kamrath suffered an early-season elbow injury, while Barratt left the team in April because of mental exhaustion. (Barratt was to be the subject of my main story Wednesday, too.)

Cottrell hit .223 for the Biscuits last season and won Tampa Bay's minor-league community service award.

Ross was a 35th-round draft pick in 2006 and played last year at short-season Hudson Valley.

**??:Infielder Drew Anderson doesn't appear on the roster but is on the newly updated work lists. Infielder Joseph Callender is the opposite (on roster, not on work lists).

The Rays face the Red Sox in minor-league exhibitions today. The Double- and Triple-A games are in Fort Myers, while the others are here in Port Charlotte. The pitching dance card wasn't posted, but here are Tampa Bay's hitting/defensive lineups ...

Monday, March 30, 2009

The left-hander missed the last month with inflammation in his pitching elbow. He had bone chips removed from the same elbow last year.

Ridgway went to Atlanta in a January 2008 trade that brought major-league infielder Willy Aybar and minor-leaguer Chase Fontaine to the Rays. Fontaine was released last week by Tampa Bay, but Aybar is still swinging in the majors.

Pitcher Richard De Los Santos, after offseason elbow surgery, won't report to camp until Tampa Bay starts its extended spring training program late next week.

De Los Santos was 5-5 with a 3.42 ERA with the Biscuits last year and re-signed with the Rays this offseason. Wade Townsend, a former first-round pick who will miss all season after shoulder surgery, also is not yet in camp.

"Wade and Richard obviously are not proficient right now," farm director Mitch Lukevics (right) said. "With that, we're keeping them home until April 8 when we can give them more one-on-one attention."

And, if you missed it, here's a link to today's John Jaso story. Tuesday's story is on Jeff Niemann and Jason Hammel, plus a notebook of assorted goodies.

I didn't track the game closely, but I was impressed when John Matulia threw out Chris Nowak at the plate. Patrick Cottrell hit a flyball far enough that I thought Nowak, who is speedy for a big guy, would have easily scored. I was wrong.

Desmond Jennings missed one diving catch. Nice effort, but I don't think the Rays want that out of Jennings in spring training. He was plagued with back and shoulder injuries last year.

Jon Barratt, back with the Rays after spending time away last season, threw the final two innings and allowed one hit. Mitch Talbot came on after Jeff Niemann and threw a tidy five innings (72 pitches, Talbot said, though he wasn't pleased with his performance).

Wade Davis and Jeremy Hellickson threw in one of the other games. David Price had an extended side session before the games started. Why do I mention these? Today would be the day for Opening Night starters to throw.

The Rays play only themselves today in minor-league exhibition games. Jeff Niemann will start in one game in perhaps his final audition for the major-league fifth starter's job. He and Jason Hammel have battled all spring.

Niemann F-8, K, K in 1st2nd: perfect with a Kc, capped by a backhanded Brignac dive and throw from his knees.3rd: Matulia single erased by 6-4-3.5-out 4th: two hits, one erased when Jennings tried for a double. Niemann's day done.Or not. Niemann back for 5th.5-out 5th: 2 hits, including Mollicone double. Kc Jennings to end it.

5 innings, but 19 outs; 4 hits allowed, 6 Ks, no walks. "It was a good start," Niemann said. "I felt good with all my pitches."

Niemann also, once again, refused to acknowledge the greatness of the SEC. :)

Sunday, March 29, 2009

No wild boars, yet, but I did have a personal first-time driving occurence on the drive from the park to the hotel. Never have I needed to swerve to avoid an alligator in the road. Thought I'd share. No, I did not stop and take the picture at left. I'll report later if the gator survived the crossing.

I'm calling it a day. Story is written for Monday's paper on John Jaso, so go buy a paper or at least read it at montgomeryadvertiser.com. So far, I like the arrangements here at the new complex. The minor-league clubhouse is quite smaller and split, but it's nice having the major-leaguers right here.

I'll be on the lookout for any wild boars (third item) this week. Maybe I'll get a picture of one, right?

Jeff Niemann, locked in battle with Jason Hammel for the No. 5 starter's spot with the Rays, is slated to pitch Monday in a minor-league game. Saw Niemann today and, regretfully, could think of nothing nasty to say about his beloved Rice Owls. For any Auburn fans out there, I told David Price that you said "thank you" for Vandy's part in Tommy Tuberville's departure.

Cross-referencing the latest minor-league spring roster (dated March 25) with the one from the start of camp (dated March 12, link and link), there are a few changes, mostly from players being demoted from major-league camp.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Henderson first came to Montgomery in the middle of the 2004 season and stayed with the Biscuits through the end of 2007. The left-hander rejoined the team in 2008 after struggling at Triple-A Durham.

Henderson celebrated Southern League championships in 2006 and '07 and could have a shot at another. Somerset has won four Atlantic League champion ships.

Henderson, one of the smartest players in Biscuits history, made 198 appearances for the Biscuits and was 15-8 with a 3.02 ERA. He was a chemical engineering major at the University of Houston.

Somerset has also signed former Biscuits pitchers Jim Magrane and Travis Minix. Also in the Atlantic League, outfielder Jeremy Owens will rejoin the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs and Steve Andrade is set to play for the York Revolution.

Outfielder Erold Andrus has signed with the Florence Freedom of the independent Frontier League.

The Rays set a spring franchise record with an announced crowd of 7,621 today in a 5-0 win over the Yankees. Today's throng also gave Tampa Bay a spring total of 83,274, its best spring ever. The Rays have three home spring games remaining.

Former Biscuits center fielder Fernando Perez, after a second exam on his broken wrist revealed further damage, will now miss 4-5 months, the Rays told the beat writers today. Perez went to Arizona for a second opinion on the wrist he broke diving for a ball March 10. He could miss the entire season.

Since B.J. Upton won't be ready for Opening Day after offseason shoulder surgery, it's likely Justin Ruggiano starts the season in the major leagues, which means Rashad Eldridge should open the year in Durham. After that, there's no obvious choice for Montgomery's center fielder.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Former Biscuits pitcher Eduardo Morlan, taken by the Brewers in December's Rule 5 draft, won't be on Milwaukee's Opening Day roster and could be headed back to the Rays.

The Brewers have designated Morlan for assignment, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Morlan has to pass through waivers before the Rays can reclaim him. Any team can claim him off waivers, but Morlan would have to stay on that team's major-league roster for the entire season.

If nobody claims him and he returns to the Rays, he can be sent to the minors. The Rays and Brewers could also work out a trade that would allow Morlan to stay with Milwaukee and go to the minors. (Last year, the Pirates and Rays did that, and Evan Meek stayed with the Bucs.)

The Journal-Sentinel reports the Brewers have already offered Morlan to the Rays, so he likely has already cleared waivers.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

The United States scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth tonight to beat Puerto Rico 6-5 and eliminate the Puerto Ricans from the World Baseball Classic. The Americans advance to the WBC semifinals in Los Angeles.

Former Biscuits manager Charlie Montoyo is Puerto Rico's third-base coach. He hasn't been to Los Angeles since his son Alex was released from the UCLA Medical Center a year ago (a year ago last weekend, in fact).

U.S. third baseman David Wright hit a game-ending two-run single. The Americans, after losing Chipper Jones to an injury, will need another third baseman for the semifinals -- and Evan Longoria is a probable choice.

Monday, March 09, 2009

Former Biscuits pitching coach Xavier Hernandez, now at Triple-A Durham, was named the Rays' organizational man of the year today. Brad Matthews, who scouts North and South Carolina and east Tennessee for the Rays, was named scout of the year.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Jon Laaser was about an hour outside Montgomery when I talked to him. He admitted he's a big golfer (shoots 78-85), first started broadcasting when he was a junior varsity high school basketball player (shooting guard) and has no college football allegiance.

"I never had one in my life of any relevance," he said. "I can be easily coerced into the Auburn bandwagon, if that's the right answer."

Look for some of Laaser's past baseball work HERE. If you want to hear some of his football and basketball, hit THIS.

And, if you're curious, Laaser is pronounced just like Laser Tag. Hence, the picture at the left.

The Biscuits have hired their radio voice and picked Jon Laaser, who spent last season as the broadcaster of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.

Myrtle Beach announced that Laaser was leaving "to pursue advancement within minor league baseball" on Jan. 21.

Laaser, a Minneapolis native, spent one season with the Pelicans, the high-Class A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. He also broadcast Charleston Southern sports this offseason.

The 28-year-old was the voice of the Double-A Altoona Curve in 2007 and the short-season Yakima Bears in 2006. He has also broadcast games for the independent St. Paul Saints (2005) and the St. Cloud River Bats (2003-04) of the summer collegiate Northwoods League.

Laaser graduated from Brown College in Mendota Heights, Minn., in 2002.